Michael Jordan said 28 teams are garbage. Warriors star Draymond Green said the rest of the league “knows they don’t stand a chance.” And here in Phoenix, one of the NBA’s greatest success stories has been reduced to a small team chasing small goals.

The Suns will be lucky to avoid 50 losses on their 50th anniversary as a franchise. They will miss the playoffs for an eighth consecutive season. They are in danger of losing their cornerstone statistic, their pillar of prowess for nearly four decades:

For the longest time, the Suns have ranked fourth in NBA winning percentage (.541). The consistency of their regular-season success was astonishing, especially for a small-market team that sprouted from the desert, becoming Arizona’s first major professional sports franchise.

We were the NBA’s version of the Green Bay Packers, without the championships trophies and snow shovels.

Entering the 2017-18 season, the Suns are trending in the other direction. It might take them another three years to resemble a winning team, and by then, they will be passed in all-time winning percentage by the Thunder (.539), Jazz (.537) and Trail Blazers (.534).

The Suns are also very fortunate. Their fan base is deep and forgiving. They have bought into “The Timeline”, a catchphrase that reflects the current philosophy of slow growth through a drafting and developing young players. Many seemed to support the team’s refusal to part with rookie Josh Jackson in a trade that could’ve netted former Cavaliers star Kyrie Irving.

New year, same expectations: Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors are everyone's favorite to win the NBA championship.(Photo: Michael Chow/azcentral sports)

The latter was a big mistake. In the coming years, Jackson’s contributions will be weighed against Irving’s impact in Boston. Their patience might be validated. Or the Suns will be exposed as a risk-averse team that overvalued its own prospects, a franchise content with stockpiling losing seasons.

The fans that opposed the acquisition of Irving and supported the team’s quiet offseason must accept the consequences. In the end, it was another pledge of patience, absolving the team from another fruitless season.

His 70-point performance against the Celtics last season was an impact statement. It captured the Valley’s imagination, serving notice that Booker ranks among the NBA’s next generation of superstars. It laid the foundation for the unconditional support the team is now enjoying.

Obviously, Booker must continue to ascend. Those who pay attention to analytics are not terribly impressed. They claim Booker’s high-volume scoring comes with very low efficiency. There are still holes in his game. But he has all the intangibles to be great, from ambition to swagger to his reputation as one of the game’s most cutthroat trash talkers. And his pride at representing Phoenix and being a part of our basketball heritage can’t be understated.

Shane Doan’s enduring loyalty to the Coyotes made hockey fans believe when there was no reason for hope. Same with Larry Fitzgerald, whose commitment to the Valley carried the Cardinals through the leanest of seasons. Booker is having the same effect on Suns fans, and the team needs more transcendent performances from their star player in the coming season to keep the faith intact.

Phoenix Suns players put their arms around each other during the National Anthem before playing against the Portland Trail Blazers in pre-season NBA action at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Ariz. October 11, 2017.(Photo: Michael Chow/azcentral sports)

The biggest issue is his supporting cast. The Suns believe they drafted another budding star in Jackson, who has a great motor and the indomitable will to succeed. He can be another Shawn Marion, a valuable piece on a championship-caliber team.

But this season is a litmus test for Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss, a pair of first-round picks plucked from the 2016 draft. They have both tasted NBA competition and the grueling pace of an NBA season. Great players generally make quantum leaps after their rookie seasons, their talents supplemented by knowledge and experience. If they don’t improve dramatically as second-year players, the credibility of their plan will suffer. And the Suns will feel a backlash from the fans who will feel like they’ve been duped into believing in a mirage.

Even in a best-case scenario, their development will only go so far in 2017-18. The Western Conference is even better. Oklahoma City added Paul George and Carmelo Anthony. The Rockets acquired Chris Paul. Minnesota could enjoy a breakthrough season, while Golden State is threatening to make a mockery of competitive balance in the NBA.

On paper, the Suns will battle the Kings to see who stays out of last place.

Maybe it’s the perfect time for “The Timeline.” The trend of super teams in the NBA has created a budding dynasty, and the Warriors are heavy favorites to win their third championship in four years. There is ongoing speculation that LeBron James will end up with the Lakers after the season, which would only add to the ongoing nightmare.

Given the competitive climate in the NBA, even a decent team has no chance. There is no point in the Suns compiling a roster that is barely good enough to make the playoffs.

The Suns have a different plan. Their fans have fallen for Booker and the idea of long-term redemption. At the moment, they seem content with small victories. But this team better display significant progress on the court, even if it doesn’t show up in the standings.

Or they’ll find that patience has its limits in Phoenix. Even with a beloved franchise.

Jerry Colangelo was a 4-time NBA Executive of the Year. ... guided the Suns start as an expansion franchise in 1968. ... led the charge in the construction of US Airways Center. He was placed in the Ring of Honor on Nov. 4, 2007.
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Alvan Adams was the 4th pick in 1975 draft and won Rookie of the Year. ... played all 13 of his NBA seasons with the team. ... led Suns to their first appearance in the NBA Finals. Jersey retired in 1988.
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Charles Barkley came to Phoenix in a trade with the 76ers in 1992 and he promptly led the Suns to 62 wins and a Finals appearance. ... named MVP that year. ... an All-Star starter and All-NBA team in each of his four seasons in Phoenix. ... inducted into Ring of Honor on March 20, 2004.
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Tom Chambers signed with Phoenix in 1988 as the first unrestricted free agent in the NBA. ... scored a Suns-record 60 points vs. Seattle in 1990. ... holds the club record for points in a season, averaging 27.2 per game in 1989-90. ... inducted into Suns Ring of Honor on April 18, 1999.
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Walter Davis played 11 seasons with the Suns, 1977-1988. ... Davis was selected by Phoenix with No. 5 pick in the 1977 draft. ... named the 1978 Rookie of the Year. ... he is the Suns' all-time leading scorer with 15,666 points and was a six-time NBA All-Star. ... His Suns jersey was retired on April 3, 1994.
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Cotton Fitzsimmons coached 22 years in the NBA, including three stints as Suns head coach. Posted a 341-208 record. ... 6th on the NBA's all-time victory list with an overall record of 832-775. He passed away on July 24, 2004.
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Connie Hawkins joined the Suns after a coin flip with Seattle in the summer of 1969. ... averaged 16.5 points and 8 rebounds per game in 7 seasons with the Suns, Lakers and Hawks. ... named American Basketball League's MVP at the age of 19 in 1962 with the Pittsburgh Rens. ... Suns jersey was retired on Nov. 19, 1976.
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Kevin Johnson came to the Suns from Cavaliers in 1988 along with Mark West, Ty Corbin and draft picks for Larry Nance and Mike Sanders. ... Johnson was an NBA All-Star on three occasions and was a member of Dream Team II in 1994. ... the Suns career playoff leader in eight major categories. ... inducted into the Suns Ring of Honor on March 7, 2001.
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Dan Majerle played his first 7 NBA seasons in Phoenix, averaging 14.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists. ... he later concluded his career with the Suns in 2001-02. ... the team's all-time leader in 3-point field goals (800). ... a three-time All-Star. ... placed in the Ring of Honor on March 9, 2003.
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Joe Proski was the athletic trainer during the franchise's first 32 seasons. ... served as athletic trainer at four NBA All-Star Games (1971, '75, '85 and '95). ... the NBA Athletic Trainer of the Year in 1988. ... inducted into the Suns Ring of Honor on April 1, 2001.
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Paul Westphal was traded to Phoenix from the Celtics on May 23, 1975. ... helped lift the Suns to the 1976 Finals vs. Boston. ... a four-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA first-team selection. ... jersey was retired April 15, 1989. ... as a coach, led the Suns to the 1993 Finals.
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John MacLeod coached the Suns from 1973-87. ... compiled a 579-543 record. ... his victory total with Phoenix is by far the most in franchise history, well ahead of the 341 of Cotton Fitzsimmons.
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